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Nibbles: Binging on Pasta-ish

This is the time of year, pretty cold and dark in the afternoon, that I crave pasta. By the time the water boils and the pasta goes into the pot, I will have a marinara sauce ready. And because I buy a case of whole tomatoes at a time, I could easily binge on pasta many times a week. But I really shouldn’t, so I do not. Instead, I buy spaghetti squash at the market, and use that instead. Here’s how I prepare it: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half, and scrape out the seeds. Coat both sides with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and place the squash cut sides down on a glass pan or baking sheet. In 40 minutes to an hour, it will be done. Using a fork, scrape the squash into long strands (probably half of it is enough for dinner). That’s your pasta! Top with any sauce and a little grind of parmesan. Just about no carbs at all. And delicious. If you have an Instant Pot and a cup of water, you can cook it in about half the time. Check the manual that came with your pot, or search online for specific instructions.—Lee White